Know What I'm Sayin'? Professor Volokh ruminates on the superfluous use of the word, "like".

I hate that word, yet I can't stop using it. I hear myself talk aloud, and it just keeps coming out of my mouth.

And I was like, "That can't be true." And he was like, "Oh, it's true."

I could easily replace each "was like" with the old staple, "said". But I would have to think ahead of time to actually accomplish that.

I guess we can blame that stupid 80s movie Valley Girl for ruining the English language. Thing is, "like" and "y'know" are so ingrained in the speech of just about everyone under the age of 40 that I don't think it will ever go away. Some day, 90-year-old men will be sitting on a porch complaining aloud.

And I was like, "Quit driving so fast around here, boy!" And he was like, "I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request." Damn smartass kids! Y'know? Whatever!